Advocacy

Further Education

TEAR is involved in the development and delivery of a number of courses in theological colleges around Australia. These are fully accredited courses, some available through distance mode with face-to-face intensives.

Understanding Integral Mission

A One Week Intensive Study Opportunity

July 3-7, beginning at 09.30 each day, and finishing at 17.00.

TEAR Education Centre, 1/4 Solwood Lane, Blackburn, VIC

This is an exceptional opportunity for an in-depth study of issues of poverty and development. Selected biblical texts on the themes of poverty, wealth, justice and compassion will provide a framework within which we will explore Christian responses to the needs of marginalised people in a globalised world. We will examine the situations of the global poor, refugees and asylum seekers, as well as the themes of power, trade, debt, gender, advocacy and the role of NGOs. There will be a focus on the potential of the church as an agent of transformation, using the Micah campaign as an example.

The course is facilitated by Steve Bradbury, with support from TEAR International Program staff and others. Steve is the Director of the Micah 6:8 Centre at Eastern College Australia, Melbourne. He was National Director of TEAR Australia from 1984-2009 and was the founding Chair of the Micah Network and Micah Challenge.

This intensive fulfils the requirements of an undergraduate subject with both the Australian College of Theology (Aid and Development) the Melbourne College of Divinity (Micah Mandate), and Eastern College Australia (Understanding Poverty & Justice). People wishing to do this can enrol through one of the participating colleges, including: Whitley College, Eastern College Australia and the Churches of Christ Theological College.

The cost of the course is $600 if NOT enrolled through a participating college.

Related Files

Eastern College Australia - Master in Transformational Development

Eastern College Australia - formerly Tabor College Victoria

Master of Transformational Development.

Passionate about justice for the poor? Committed to a faith-based, Biblically-informed response to the needs of those who continue to be violated by poverty? Yearning for the opportunity for thoughtful reflection and learning relevant to your calling and vocation as an aid and development practitioner?

This course is designed for Christians working either directly in community development initiatives, or on the staff of non-government development organisations (NGDOs).

The small international MTD learning community provides a demanding yet supportive space in which transformational development practitioners can examine and deepen their understanding of their calling and current practice. In essence it explores: WHAT WE DO, WHY WE DO IT AND HOW WE DO IT through a facilitated and vigorous exploration of the interface between theology, development theory and the practitioners’ experience. The MTD creates both a “safe place” in which to grapple with the complexities and challenges of integral mission, and a rigorous academic framework in which to learn and innovate.

The MTD is designed to facilitate and encourage effective contextual learning, carefully creating the space to wrestle with student-identified vocational issues and questions. The utilisation of web-based delivery together with 5-day face-to-face intensives in each unit (currently offered in Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur) enables students to study while remaining in their vocational contexts.

Six units are offered on a 3-year cycle:

Doing Theology in the Context of Poverty and Injustice;

Economics, Development and Human Flourishing;

Community Development;

Biblical Justice, Human Rights and Advocacy;

Climate Change, Justice and Sustainability;

Leadership and Organisational Development.

Entry to the programme can be at any point in the cycle.

The MTD benefits from a rich collaboration between Eastern College Australia (formerly known as Tabor Victoria) and senior staff from TEAR Australia, CBM, Interserve, World Vision, Malaysian Care, and the Asian Graduate School of Theology (Alliance).

Steve Bradbury, the course coordinator, served 25 years as the National Director of TEAR Australia, was the inaugural Chair of the Micah Network and Micah Challenge International, and in 2009 received the Australian Council For Overseas Aid’s annual award for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Aid & Development Sector.

Studies in Community Development at Christian Heritage College QLD

CHC offers two undergraduate programs and two postgraduate programs that may include studies in Community Development to which Dave Andrews, the TEAR Community Empowerment Officer, makes a major contribution.

The postgraduate programs include the Graduate Diploma in Social Science where students may undertake 40cp of Community Development discipline studies, and the Master of Social Science where students may extend their learning and either pursue extended research or supervised practice in Community Development.

Undergraduate

CD101 Introduction to Community Development

This unit introduces the theoretical and practical components of community development. Beginning from an understanding of community experiences and trends, students will learn how community development practices and principles can enable them to respond to contemporary needs. The unit will provide connections between the private world of the practitioner, the groups and associations with which one may work, and the broader public and policy realms in which the practitioner will move. Issues such as community profiling, skills in community development, maintaining hope, and working with groups will be discussed with reference to areas of community need such as mental health, refugees and youth.

CD161 Community Development Skills

Those working in counselling and human services need to develop basic counselling skills in the context of growing self-awareness. These skills, which are grounded in research and empirical support, are essential for the development of a strong inter-personal working relationship between counsellor and client and for the client to move towards desired goals. They are also the foundation on which all counselling theory’s specific interventions are built. For the student to develop these basic counselling skills, specific practice, with time for development of skills and feedback from others, is necessary. This unit approaches the topic in a holistic manner, teaching skills in the context of communication purpose and group orientation.

CD211 Servant Leadership

Christians are called to make disciples of all nations, to influence society with kingdom principles and relationship with the King. Many times Christians have followed worldly ideas of leadership – hierarchy, power, direction. This unit seeks to explore leadership through the concept of servanthood both through a reflective process and actual practice.

CD212 Community Development Placement I

This unit involves a 200-hour supervised placement within a community development context that allows students to develop and enhance relevant skills, apply theoretical perspectives studied in the classroom, appreciate the organisational dynamics of community development settings and the challenges of building relationships with community members and groups, and establish appropriate strategies and procedures within a specific practical environment.

CD213 Building Christian Community

This unit surveys a wide variety of models of Christian community from the early church to the present day. Various sociological perspectives on the nature of communities are introduced, and students are required to participate in some form of Christian community. Students are challenged to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of a range of approaches to Christian community, and to develop their own theoretical framework for building Christian community.

CD214 Christian Community in Contemporary and Historical Perspective

The identification of principles and models of community building from a Christian perspective is an important aspect in the development of the Christian community development practitioner. The Christian Church has been involved in the intentional creation of community throughout its history and the wide variety of models employed provides opportunity for assessment as to their suitability for present day application. Various sociological and theological perspectives on the nature of communities will also be introduced, and students will be required to participate in some form of Christian community or small group during the unit, as a basis for reflection and contextualisation. In this way, students will be challenged to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of a range of approaches to Christian community, and to begin to develop their own theoretical framework for building Christian community.

CD253 Cross Cultural Experience

This unit is designed to challenge students with an exposure to and analysis of cross-cultural contexts and experiences. Students will visit at least one other culture and experience the lived outcome of different social, cultural, economic and religious beliefs and traditions. Worldview and missional understandings will be used to examine that culture and to compare it with personal beliefs and experiences.

CD254 Biblical Perspectives of Human Community

It is important for the Christian community development professional or Christian person who desires to implement the values and practices of community development within her or his own community, to understand that community development practice may be viewed as applied theology. In other words ethical community development is one authentic expression of the Christian gospel, key scriptural principles, and a sound Christian worldview. Although the Bible has a great deal to say issues of power, wealth, poverty, vocation, community, relations with others, the environment and politics, these themes often receive little emphasis in traditional social science courses. This unit will attempt to assist students to begin to grapple with what the Bible has to say about real life in the real world and how Christians are called to engage others within their immediate and more distant communities.

CD260 Community Development Practice

It is important for community development workers to be able to draw on a practice framework – understanding and applying models, approaches, strategies – to make sense of their practice in the wide variety of community development contexts that exist today. This unit is intended to provide students with understandings and practical skills relevant to working with communities of people in a variety of settings utilising a range of approaches and models of community development practice.

CD264 Urban Community Development

The world today is rapidly becoming urbanised with more than half of the human race now living in cities. The flood of migration from rural to urban contexts has led to many social problems and challenges including poverty, a strain on resources and infrastructure, dislocation, social and family fragmentation and an increase in mental health disorders. Community workers and Christians with a concern for cities and urban communities need to understand the issues and implications for community development of urban expansion and poverty. In particular, students will consider the uniqueness of the city context and the implications that effect community development practice and strategy among the urban poor.

CD265 Aid and Development: Christian Perspectives

Although the practices of international aid and development stem back to ancient times, governments, organisations, groups and individuals, particularly from the West, have become increasingly involved in these activities since the close of the Second World War. Many of the organisations and individuals who have been involved in financing and delivering aid have done so from the basis of their Christian faith, often in association with the ideals of Christian mission and a desire to enact the Christian Gospel. Yet many commentators, aid practitioners, and scholars have questioned the capacity of these approaches to increase economic development, alleviate poverty, or promote social health. Research has identified only tenuous links between development and positive outcomes for local communities and very few programs have outlasted donor support or achieved lasting improvements. The purpose of this unit therefore is both to critique traditional approaches to aid and development delivery as well as introduce students to evidentiary-based models that emphasise collaboration with and empowerment of recipients.

CD282 Community Development Practice Fields

Students need to not only assimilate foundational theory and skills related to community development practice, but also must understand the diverse fields and contexts in which community development takes place. Exposure to a breadth of potential community development applications is important, not only to allow them to identify potential areas of future involvement, but also so they may differentiate generic community development principles and practices from those related to specific practice contexts. In order to acquaint students with a broad range of community development practice fields, this unit takes a ‘life-cycle’ approach beginning with child sponsorship and working through programs and initiatives that include a focus on education, health, trafficking and supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

CD301 Reflecting on Community Development

Working effectively as a community development practitioner requires practitioners to not only have a thorough grounding in the theory and practice of their profession, but also engage in ongoing evaluation and reflection upon the underlying tenets and philosophy of this practice. To help develop the skills required for a critically reflective approach of this type of students will consider community development theory and application from a number of viewpoints, including post-structuralist, feminist, social justice, eco-justice, cultural and theological perspectives. In addition, approaches to meaningful dialoguing with others holding different perspectives and varying priorities will be introduced, providing students with the opportunity to reflect on their perspectives through authentic engagement with those who may hold differing views.

CD312 Community Development Placement II

This unit involves a 200-hour supervised placement within a community development context that allows students to develop and enhance relevant skills, apply theoretical perspectives studied in the classroom, appreciate the organisational dynamics of community settings and the challenges of building relationships with community members and groups, and establish appropriate strategies and procedures within a specific practical environment. This placement is designed to build on the theoretical and practical knowledge gained in CD212 Community Development Placement I, and will provide further opportunity to engage in self-directed community development activities.

CD313 Community Development Internship

Community development work skills are learned by practice. While preceding units in the Community Development program equip students with foundational skills and theory for practice, it is not until students are immersed in community development practice contexts that they can really appreciate the utilisation of the skills, the application of the theories, the organisational dynamics of community development settings and the challenges of building relationships with clients and establishing appropriate strategies and procedures within a specific practical environment. In addition, it is essential as future practitioners that students learn to work effectively as parts of teams and to employ reflective practice skills and principles in order to effectively monitor and adapt their ongoing professional practice. In order to facilitate this capability, the internship experience is to be reflected on and analysed with the input of mentors using reflective practice skills and frameworks. The internship also provides opportunity to reflect upon and respond to authentic community development situations and challenges from the perspective of Christian faith, values and worldview.

CD353 Martyrs, Radicals and Saints: A Contemporary Social Spirituality

This unit allows students to study and critically engage with primary writings of First and Two-Thirds World Christian leaders who have combined theological reflection, spirituality, and the work of justice and social transformation. As students explore the lives and spirituality of these men and women, they also reflect on their own theology and strategies for social change.

CD354 Transformation Theology

This unit forms a biblical, theological and practical reflection on the role and task of Christians in society, and especially changes in society, which community development seeks to engender. The unit gives an understanding of historical, theological and sociological perspectives which form a foundation for societal change and community development.

CD360 Managing Community Development Projects

Many Community Development projects and initiatives fail not because of a lack of effort or intention on the part of those involved, but because of a deficiency in skills and understanding relating to the diverse roles and responsibilities required of project managers and over-seers. To maximise the likelihood of success therefore, those with responsibility for community development initiatives require theoretical and practical capacity in project planning, management and evaluation. The skills involved in effective communication with stakeholders, regulatory bodies and various levels of government; financial planning and management; and foreseeing and addressing complex problems and barriers, are particularly important. In the case of the Christian community development professional it is also important this is accomplished in the context of core values of ethical community development that are consistent with his or her Christian worldview.

Postgraduate

CD401 Community Development Foundations

In order to develop as effective community workers, students must possess a strong theoretical and practical foundation related to their discipline. Beginning from an understanding of current community experiences and trends, students will learn how community development practices and principles can enable them to respond to contemporary needs. In addition Christians working in the community development sector must understand the theological and Christian worldview principles on which a biblically faithful approach to practice is grounded. In order to begin to develop students as theologically reflective practitioners, connections will be drawn between theology and practice - particularly as regards to the Christian imperative to live out one’s faith in action, and to be committed to an ethic of love and justice. Postgraduate study also requires students to be capable of critical engagement with the discipline and as such this unit not only introduces students to foundational aspects of community development, but also to the principles and skills of critical reflection and evaluation of their learning.

CD413 Building Christian Community

This unit surveys a wide variety of models of Christian community from the early church to the present day. Various sociological perspectives on the nature of communities are introduced, and students are required to participate in some form of Christian community. Students are challenged to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of a range of approaches to Christian community, and to develop their own theoretical framework for building Christian community.

CD453 Martyrs, Radicals and Saints: A Contemporary Social Spirituality

This unit allows students to study and critically engage with primary writings of First and Two-Thirds World Christian leaders who have combined theological reflection, spirituality and the work of justice and social transformation. As students explore the lives and spirituality of these people, they also reflect on their own theology and strategies for social change.

CD454 Transformation Theology

This unit forms a biblical, theological and practical reflection on the role and task of Christians in society, and especially changes in society, which community development seeks to engender. The unit gives an understanding of historical, theological and sociological perspectives which form a foundation for societal change and community development.

CD460 Community Development Practice Frameworks

Community Development practitioners increasingly work within a complex array of practice contexts that require them to interact with diverse groups holding different priorities. It is important for such workers to be able to draw on a community development practice framework – understanding and applying models, approaches, strategies – to make sense of their practice in these settings. This unit is intended to provide the student with understandings and practical skills relevant to working with people in a variety of contexts utilising a range of approaches and models of community development practice. Building on a previous study of community development and social issues, this unit will examine practice issues in the community development field today, and will enable students to undertake an analysis of a range of community development issues.

CD464 Community Development in Urban Contexts

The world today is rapidly becoming urbanised with more than half of the human race now living in cities. The flood of migration from rural to urban contexts has led to many social problems and challenges including poverty, a strain on resources and infrastructure, dislocation, social and family fragmentation and an increase in mental health disorders. This unit is designed to interact with the issues and implications of community development in a context of urban expansion and poverty. Participants will look at the uniqueness of the city context and the implications that effect community development practice and strategy among the urban poor. The unit will explore the context of city dwellers within a developing nation and a developed nation, noting similarities and differences in these multicultural settings. Special consideration will be paid to relevant systemic, sociological, economic, political and religious factors influencing urban poverty and community development. These forces will be reflected upon and critically analysed through several lenses including that of the broad and transformational vision of the gospel and the Church as a missional community.

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